The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, offers the greatest protection of environment and landscape, said Italian Minister for the Territorial Cohesion and Mezzogiorno Claudio de Vincenti.
“TAP is a strategic work,” said the minister, adding that the project is being implemented strictly in accordance with international standards, Italian media reported.
TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.
The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy’s south.
TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers).
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).